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Questions to Ask Before Joining a New Church

By
Dr. Josh Buice
-
communicating with the unchurched

Two of the most important decisions you will make this side of eternity involve who you marry and joining a new church. One is certainly more permanent than the other, but both are vitally important and should not be viewed as disposable decisions.

When joining a new church—it should be obvious that the decision should be based on more than the relevant name or the church’s online presence.

Questions to ask prior to joining a new church:

  1. Is the doctrinal statement of the church clear and precise? If the statement of faith is unclear, could this reveal an intentional ambiguity by the leadership?
  2. What is the main preaching philosophy of the leadership? Is it based on an expository or topical methodology?
  3. Does the church practice church discipline? Are there any instances of church discipline on record in the last 10 years of the church’s existence?
  4. Is it too easy to join and too easy to leave this local church? Is there a membership class or any other requirement to fulfill prior to becoming a member?
  5. How is the music ministry of the church used? Is it a tool for worship and discipleship or is the music ministry geared toward an entertainment approach?
  6. What is the church government structure? Is the church led by one CEO pastor or a plurality of pastors?
  7. Is the preaching of the church aimed at the heart and the head? Do the pastors of the church expect the members to engage the mind in worship?
  8. What is the temperature of the church in regard to local and international missions? How involved is the church in missions?
  9. How does the pastor address unbelievers in his weekly sermons? Does he seem to be too focused on the unbelievers or does he strike a good balance between feeding the sheep and proclaiming the gospel to the unbelievers?
  10. Does the church have a ministry to children and youth? Who leads those areas of ministry? Are the men who lead in these areas mature and godly or do they appear to be perpetual adolescents?
  11. Is the church led by male leadership? Is the church complementarian or egalitarian? How is this conviction put on display in the leadership of the church?
  12. What mode of baptism is practiced by the church?
  13. Is the church a single campus or multi-campus model?
  14. Does the pastor give an open public invitation to respond to the sermon at the end of his sermon? How is that conducted? Is there any hint of manipulation involved?
  15. Does the church have a culture of disciple making?
  16. Does the church take up an offering as a part of the weekly worship? How is this process conducted?
  17. Does the church seem to be committed to laboring to love one another?
  18. What is the church’s position on marriage, divorce and homosexuality?
  19. Does the church have a traditional Sunday school or a small group discipleship ministry that meets off campus? Why has the church gone in their chosen direction?
  20. Does the church have a Sunday evening service? Why or why not?
  21. Does the church have a church covenant? What exactly does the covenant bind the members to?
  22. How often does the church observe the Lord’s Supper? Is the Lord’s Supper open, closed or close communion?
  23. How many prayers are offered per service? What is the specific purpose of each prayer?
  24. What priority does Scripture have in the worship service? Does the church practice a weekly Scripture reading? How is that organized and who reads the passages? What place is it in the service?

Before joining, it would likewise be a good idea to meet with the pastor of the church in order to gain clarity on important theological and practical points of consideration that you would not be able to know by merely visiting the church for a few weeks.

While this is not an exhaustive list, it does cover quite a number of vital points of consideration involved in joining a new church. Just because a church has your denomination’s name doesn’t mean it’s a healthy church. Take time to pray, discern and think through the membership of a specific church before committing yourself. On the other hand, don’t just hang out with a church indefinitely—commit yourself to church membership in a local church.

Most importantly, have fun when you are looking to joining a new church.

This article originally appeared here.

How to Know if You Are Gentle in the Biblical Sense

By
James Faris
-
communicating with the unchurched

Are you gentle? How would you know?

Gentleness, or meekness, is often defined by culture as softness, usually implying weakness. Christians sometimes define it as controlled strength.

But Wilhelmus a Brakel points us to a description more consistent with the New Testament uses of the term. He observes that the root of the Greek word is “a derivative of the word ‘to transfer’” and thus the gentle person is one “who readily establishes contact with others and with whom others easily make contact in turn.”[1]

In short, gentle people are approachable people. Meek people have something worth communicating or transferring to the souls of others, and they work to do so. They also know that they need to receive from others, so they’re ready to listen.

In the New Testament, gentleness usually has to do with communication, both verbal and non-verbal. Gentle people reach out to others in ways that make others want to reach out to them. Communication is easy, or at least looks easy, for the Christian who has disciplined himself to bear such fruit.

Are you gentle? Ask yourself, “Do others welcome me readily when I approach them?” And, “Do others easily come to me for help?” Whether or not we are gentle is best measured by looking at how others relate and respond to us.

People know instinctively that the gentle-of-heart build bridges to transfer the treasure with which they’ve been entrusted. And they sense that it is safe to connect with them in order to receive that treasure. Both Overbearing Otis and Shy Shelly fail the test of gentleness. Overbearing Otis fails to value the people around him and cannot build bridges. In the process, he tarnishes the treasure he holds. Shy Shelly is too fearful to build bridges. She also fails to value the treasure entrusted to her, leaving people around her with the sense that she has nothing to offer anyway. The work of the Holy Spirit is necessary for each of these souls to become gentle.

A mature, gentle person can relate to all kinds of people. Even when situations are awkward, or difficult matters must be discussed, meek saints leave others knowing that they love them even in the midst of conflict. And that, indeed, requires great strength. Jerry Bridges wrote, “Gentleness is illustrated by the way we would handle a carton of exquisite crystal glasses; it is the recognition that the human personality is valuable but fragile and must be handled with care.”[2]

Where do we see these truths in the The New Testament? The following passages teach us how gentleness should characterize our communication:

  • Rather than speak evil of others or be known for quarreling, even with rulers and authorities, we are to be gentle and courteous with our words: “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” (Titus 3:1-2)
  • Teachers are to correct even opponents with gentleness: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”(2 Timothy 2:24-26)
  • Elders who bring correction must follow the example of the Apostle Paul who corrected the Corinthian church with gentleness. He wrote: “What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?” (1 Corinthians 4:21) Later he wrote again: “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ- I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!” (2 Corinthians 10:1)
  • The church is required to restore one caught in transgression with a spirit of gentleness. The transgressor must know that the church is a place where he will find grace: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)
  • When Christians tell other people about Jesus in evangelism and apologetics, it is easy to develop a proud or argumentative spirit as they lay out the logical case for faith in Christ. Those with whom we speak must leave the conversation with a sense that we love them, and that will only be communicated through gentleness: “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:14-17)
  • Communication in marriage must be gentle: “The heart of her husband trusts her,” says Proverbs 31 of the godly wife. He finds her approachable and trustworthy. Similarly, Paul writes of wives in 1 Peter: “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” (1 Peter 3:1-4)
  • We are to walk with the saints in gentleness: “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)

How do we grow in gentleness? This fruit can only be produced by the Holy Spirit, and it comes as we:

  • Receive God’s word with meekness. “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21)
  • Pursue gentleness and fight for it: “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.” (1 Timothy 6:11-12a)
  • Put on gentleness each day: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…”(Colossians 3:12)
  • Take the yoke of Jesus by faith: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”(Matthew 11:29)
  1. Wilhelmus a Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, 4:79. ??
  2. Jerry Bridges, The Fruitful Life, 142. ??

This article originally appeared here.

Pain Can Be a Great Friend

By
Joe McKeever
-
communicating with the unchurched

This morning, as we were sitting at the breakfast table discussing memories good and bad, my Bertha said something I wrote down so I’d get it just right.

We have a wagonload of memories of God’s people who have loved us and cared for us. But we also have painful memories that we wish we could edit out of our lives. But the Holy Spirit has shown me that if He took out the pain and strife, He would also be removing the lovely things that happened during that same time. Or, that happened as a direct result of the bad event. 

It brought up a painful memory from my junior high days. A teacher said something really harsh that forever left its mark on me. Over the years as I have sometimes reflected on that incident, my primary focus has been on the offense. I’ve wondered about that teacher, why he did what he did, what it meant, and so forth. But I realized something from what Bertha said today.

The teacher who scarred the kid 

Early in the semester of the 7th grade, all the students—perhaps a hundred of us—were  herded into the gymnasium. The band director, a Mr. Keating, called everyone to order and announced that today we would be electing class officers.

Now, bear in mind that I was new there. For four years I’d gone to school in rural West Virginia and then we moved back to Alabama in time for my sixth grade in a two-room rural (really really rural!) school. So, now, junior high and all the kids in our part of the world ride the bus on into the county seat of Double Springs, Ala., for the rest of our schooling. The junior and senior high classes were all held in the same building.

If there were a hundred students in our class, perhaps half of them had gone to elementary school right there in town. The others of us were from out in the county and had attended tiny schools. So, only the town kids knew each other. So, when class officers were nominated, naturally they nominated the people they knew. As a result, the town kids were raising their hands and nominating one another. Only they were being elected.

So, I raised my hand.

Mr. Keating said, “McKeever? You have a nomination?”

I said, “Mr. Keating, I don’t have a nomination. I just wish we could elect someone other than the town kids. The problem is we don’t know each other.”

The look he gave me could have burned a hole in my shirt. He said, “McKeever! I want you to sit down and shut your mouth and don’t open it again for the rest of this period! Are we clear on that?”

I had been slapped with words.

The man did not know me, we had never met, and yet he was angry at me. Later, I decided that since my older brothers were in the high school—Ronnie would have been 17 and Glenn 16, and they were forever pushing the envelope of what was permissible—that he decided I was a trouble-maker.

That’s the incident. I had no further dealings with the man. I never took band and he did not have cause to lead any class in which I studied, so that was the sum total of our connection. He did, however, leave a lasting impression on me.

But I’ve decided something, particularly based on what Bertha said this morning.

As a result of this harshness, the Lord made me more sensitive to new kids. He made me more aware and more thoughtful of new neighbors, new people in church, and new employees. I knew how it felt to be new and to be cut down by the system.

You know, too, don’t you? You’ve been there…

The Lord was emphasizing to Israel that once they got in the Promised Land, they were be fair and show kindness to foreigners and strangers. He said…

–You shall not cheat your neighbor nor rob him.

–You shall do no injustice in judgement. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.

–You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

–If a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him.

–The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

That’s all from Leviticus 19, one of the great chapters of the Old Testament.

Don’t miss the last part of verse 34: You shall love the strangers among you because you know what it’s like to be a newcomer and a stranger. You were that in Egypt once.

I have been a new kid in school. I spoke funny (Yankee in the deep south). I was short, the shortest kid in the 7th grade. And I was outspoken. All of these combine to make the new kid a problem for the rest of the class to welcome in. I’m thankful for those who did it.

In time, some of those “town kids” became my lifelong friends.

As a general rule, church people do not intend to be rude or unkind concerning newcomers. They do not intend to crush the spirits of those bewildered about the large church and all the choices and unfamiliar faces. But they do it anyway as a result of being thoughtless.

Thoughtless = giving no thought.

The friendly greeter at church is thoughtful. He or she arrives at church fully intending to find the unfamiliar faces and welcome them. They know not to overdo it, as visitors can easily feel pressured by too much attention. So, they pray in advance for the Spirit to lead them and they always try to listen closely to the guest and to the Spirit within.

And don’t we appreciate those who function well as greeters for church…and for school…and for the neighborhood!

Lord, we have all been visitors in the past. We know how it feels. So help us to be kind and gracious to all we meet.

This article originally appeared here.

What Happens Every Time You Encounter the Bible

By
J.D. Greear
-
communicating with the unchurched

Every time we encounter the Bible, the Word of God, an unseen world of spiritual forces is at work. We don’t usually think about this, since our experience—for instance, reading the Bible or listening to a sermon—feels so patently mundane. But read Jesus’ first parable in Matthew 13 and you’ll gain a renewed sense of weightiness for the moment when our lives and God’s Word intersect.

“Consider the sower who went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown. Let anyone who has ears listen.” (Matthew 13:3-9 CSB)

Every time you encounter the Word of God, you bring one of four “hearts.”

1. The Hard Heart (Matthew 13:4, 18-19)

The hard-hearted person may be interested in what the Word of God says—just not that much. If they come to church at all, they put the sermon out of their mind before they’ve reached the parking lot. Satan, like a bird, snatches away any thought that might be fruitful by filling their mind with doubts or distractions.

Most of the time, what distracts the hard-hearted isn’t something terrible. It’s simply something that takes your mind off of what God says. In our time, I’m convinced that distraction sends more people to hell than doubt.

Moses pleaded with the people of Israel not to take the Word of God lightly. “They are not meaningless words,” he said, “but they are your life” (Deuteronomy 32:47). We need the same reminder today.

2. The Shallow Heart (Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21)

The shallow-hearted person considers the Word of God and is initially moved by it. The problem is that whatever decision he makes doesn’t last very long. Because his roots don’t go very deep, the slightest difficulty makes the Word wither away.

I saw this illustrated vividly while working at youth camps. On the last night, there would always be a moving service where we’d ask students to make decisions for Christ. And of course, sleep-deprived teenagers are not known for being discrete with their emotional displays. It would usually start with one kid, who legitimately began to get convicted about what God was doing in her life. So she’d start to cry. Then this would spread to the guy and girl on either side of her, who didn’t know why they were crying. Within two minutes an entire row would be bawling. Sure enough, they’d all come forward to commit their lives to Christ. But a week later, for most of them, nothing changed.

This isn’t a problem unique to teenagers. They are simply a mirror to us of our own fickle hearts. What I’ve learned from years of leading people to Jesus is that many people aren’t responding to God but to a feeling. And when the feeling is gone, so is the commitment.

We need to be wary here. The proof of faith is not its intensity at the beginning but its endurance to the end. This doesn’t overturn the beautiful truth that “once saved, always saved,” which is clearly established throughout Scripture. But it should make us remember that how we finish in the Christian life is just as important as how we start. In other words, it is true that “once saved, always saved,” but it is also true that once saved, forever following.

3. The Divided Heart (Matthew 13:7, 22)

The divided heart hears the Word and believes it. He wants to follow it. He really does. But then other things choke out the fruitfulness of that Word—specifically “the worries of this age” and the “deceitfulness of wealth.”

Here’s what that looks like in practice. You are genuinely interested in the Bible. When you read it, you immediately see its value. When you hear it preached, you experience the conviction of God. But as soon as you enter “real life” again, you are swept up with the bills you have to pay and the tasks you need to accomplish. Or you wake up in the morning, and you know it would be good to spend some time reading the Bible. But instead you scratch the itch of picking up your phone and checking social media. Before you know it, you’ve primed your mind with the worries of this age and any urgency for the Word is simply choked out.

People do not make conscious decisions to reject God as often as we might think. More often than not, God’s Word simply gets crowded out by things that seem more immediately important. But if we give the brambles an inch, they’ll take the whole garden.

4. The Open Heart (Matthew 13:8, 23)

According to Jesus, the one thing that sets apart the “open heart” is abundant fruitfulness. Seeds don’t produce 30 times what was sown, let alone 60 or 100. What Jesus is hinting at is nothing short of miraculous. When the Word of God really takes root in you, it produces fruit that can only come from God.

A good temperament might make you a decent person, but only the miraculous work of God can make you generous of spirit, excited in worship and forgiving of your enemies. If there is nothing in your life about which you (and others) can say, “Only God could have done that,” that’s cause for concern.

God’s words are powerful. It took just a handful of them to create the entire known universe. If those words are taking root in you, that same power will be at work in your life. I’m not saying you’ll overcome all of your sin immediately or easily. Nor am I saying you should compare your progress in the Christian life with others; after all, Jesus said the seed multiplies differently—30, 60 or 100-fold.

What I am saying is that the Word of God always bears fruit. If you’ve seen fruit in your own life, thank God for it and ask for more. And if you haven’t, there’s no better day than today to open up your heart to him.

This article originally appeared here.

8 Areas Where Pastors Wish They Were Better Equipped

By
Thom Rainer
-
communicating with the unchurched

I thank God for pastors. They are often criticized, second-guessed, underpaid and expected to do too many things. Pastors would be perfect if they were simply omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent.

Indeed, the expectations of pastors can be overwhelming. In that light, I asked seasoned pastors to share with me the areas they wish they could be better prepared and better equipped. The results were voluminous, and the needs are great. Here are the top eight:

  1. Leading the church in evangelism/reaching the community. Many pastors felt as if evangelism and healthy growth are neglected topics. They admitted their own sense of inadequacy in leading their churches to reach more people with the gospel.
  2. Leadership development. Pastors know they can’t do the work of ministry alone. But many of them shared poignantly how they wish they could become better at developing leaders in the church. They understand both biblically and intuitively that more leaders are imperative for a church to be healthy.
  3. Finances/business issues/administration. “I never considered how much of church life is running an organization,” one pastor shared with us. “I was never trained for that aspect of ministry, and it has come back to haunt me again and again.” Another pastor confessed that he had never learned to balance his checkbook, but he was expected to lead a church with a half-million-dollar budget.
  4. Leading staff. We heard it again and again: “I have no idea how to lead my staff. I have no idea how to evaluate my staff. I have no idea how to deal with conflict among my staff.” In fact, one pastor told me he joined Church Answers for one reason: so he could ask questions about dealing with staff.
  5. Counseling. Many pastors shared how much their congregations demand in counseling. They also said the demand seems to grow every year. They not only lack the training to know how to counsel, they often don’t know when to refer people to professionals.
  6. Dealing with change and conflict. It is a common theme among pastors. They were told to expect conflict before they became pastors, but the reality was consistently worse than the warnings. They long to know how to lead change and deal with conflict better, but they often feel inadequate in those areas.
  7. Dealing with their own depression. A number of pastors admitted surprise when depression hit them. They simply did not expect it to happen to them. Many also admitted shame and embarrassment in talking to others about their struggles. Some even shared confidentially with me their own thoughts of suicide in the past.
  8. Equipping others. This particular need is similar to number two, leadership development. But in this case, pastors desire to equip the entire body of Christ, not just leaders. But many pastors feel woefully inadequate in doing so.

It was fascinating to see what topics did not make the list: Bible, theology, ethics and preaching, to name a few. The pastors expressed gratitude to the Bible colleges, seminaries and books that prepared them well in the classical disciplines. But the cries were for better preparation in practical issues and practical ministries.

How about you? Where do you think pastors need to be better equipped? What would you add?

Let me hear from you.

This article originally appeared here.

Update: Vatican Responds to Pennsylvania Sexual Abuse of Children by Priests

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

Update August 17, 2018

The Vatican released a statement in response to the Pennsylvania Grand Jury’s report on August 16, 2018. The statement reads:

Regarding the report made public in Pennsylvania this week, there are two words that can express the feelings faced with these horrible crimes: shame and sorrow.

The Holy See treats with great seriousness the work of the Investigating Grand Jury of Pennsylvania and the lengthy Interim Report it has produced. The Holy See condemns unequivocally the sexual abuse of minors.

The abuses described in the report are criminal and morally reprehensible. Those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith. The Church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur.

Most of the discussion in the report concerns abuses before the early 2000s. By finding almost no cases after 2002, the Grand Jury’s conclusions are consistent with previous studies showing that Catholic Church reforms in the United States drastically reduced the incidence of clergy child abuse.

The Holy See encourages continued reform and vigilance at all levels of the Catholic Church, to help ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults from harm. The Holy See also wants to underscore the need to comply with the civil law, including mandatory child abuse reporting requirements.

The Holy Father understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the Church and in all of society. Victims should know that the Pope is on their side.

Those who have suffered are his priority, and the Church wants to listen to them to root out this tragic horror that destroys the lives of the innocent.

There were more than 300 predator priests who abused more than 1,000 children in six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania from the 1940s through the early 2000s.

That’s the shocking finding from a grand jury that reported the “real number” of abused children might never be known since some secret church records were lost, and victims were afraid to come forward.

“We are sick over all the crimes that will go unpunished and uncompensated,” the grand jury said.

The investigation involved clergy sexual abuse in six dioceses: Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton.

Allen White: Finding Ways to Make Small Groups Work

By
Jason Daye
-
communicating with the unchurched

Allen White has devoted the last 25+ years to helping people find Christ, make meaningful connections, grow in their faith, and find fulfillment in ministry. He has successfully launched hundreds of groups at two churches as the Associate Pastor: New Life Christian Center, Turlock, CA for 15 years and Brookwood Church, Simpsonville, SC for 4 years.

Key Questions for Allen White:

– How have small groups changed over the years?
– Should all churches have small groups?

[SUBSCRIBE] For more ChurchLeaders podcasts click here!

Key Quotes from Allen White:

“Small groups are skewing smaller. Instead of 10 or 12, we’re seeing a lot more groups of 6 to 8 people.”

“The big issue we face is time and priority and what you want to devote yourself to.”

“We have the word of God and the word directs us in how to live….and yet we struggle to change.”

“If the relational component is not there in a group it will be hard for the group to gel…for the long term it doesn’t work.”

“People who don’t have time for a group always have time for their friends. Structure small groups around friendships.”

“In absence of a coaching structure, everything goes back to the pastor, they’re busy people.”

“Most groups will last from 18 months to 2 years.”

“When a member of the group is struggling, is the group still there to bring them back to God?”

“For most groups, if they don’t continue to grow, they aren’t going to last very long.”

“It’s uncomfortable to make space for a new person…but there’s something about a group going outside itself that makes it a little more Christlike.”

“I’m in favor of all kinds of groups because it gives us a chance to have connection beyond the weekend service.”

“There is no one strategy that will connect all your people into groups.”

Links Mentioned by Allen White in the Show:

https://allenwhite.org/

Exponential Groups

Allen White on ChurchLeaders:

Allen White: Why Off-Campus Groups Are Just BETTER

Allen White’s Latest Learning: Finding (More) Great Coaches

5 Under-Utilized Practices That Give Your Leadership an Immediate Boost

By
Dan Reiland
-
communicating with the unchurched

If you’re like me, your leadership might seem to get bogged down sometimes. It can appear stuck in the myriad of things to do.

The internal consequence is frustration, which nearly always reduces your effectiveness. Frustration sucks the energy and creativity out of you.

You might become consumed with why some things don’t work, rather than focusing on a little progress every day. In fact, it might seriously hijack your ability to solve problems and move forward. (And the truth is, lots of things are working well, but you lose perspective.)

You can miss these simple and basic practices, the very things that help you break loose and get unstuck.

Don’t let the following five practices get buried in frustration, or even just stuck in the normal and large list of stuff to do.

Which ones if used today would help you move forward and give your leadership the boost it needs?

5 Under-Utilized Practices:

1) Get the right people in the room

I invest a good amount of effort to get the right people in a room together, at the right time, for the right reasons. I never cease to be amazed at the power of a wisely and intentionally convened group in contrast to a “regular” meeting.

It’s easy to waste time by meeting with five or six people, one to one, multiple times! Get them all in a room at the same time. Meet for a purpose and get the job done. It’s much faster and so much more productive.

Regular meetings as a foundation are essential, but you can significantly increase the outcomes by adding or deleting the right people and working hard to set a very specific agenda.

Avoid at all costs having a regular meeting where you go around the table, and each person gives a general update.

2) Pick up the phone

The difference between getting things done and making things happen is often caused by merely picking up the phone.Click To Tweet

The potential impact of a 10-minute phone call to start something in motion is staggering.

It’s easy to make the call too complicated because you want to cover all the bases in the first call. So you put the call off. I’ve done that many times. I’ve waited because I think I need an hour for the call, or I need to do two hours of homework first. Just get it started.

Maybe you want to ask someone if they are interested in a job, or starting a new ministry, or engaging in a partnership. Pick up the phone. A yes response indicating interest then generates the momentum that makes real progress.

3) Make a decision

It’s true that some big decisions require significant time to pray, process and percolate. But from years of experience, I’ve learned that most decisions can be made relatively quickly.

Most of your everyday decisions can be made in 24-48 hours or less. One to two days gives you time to pray, think, make a couple of calls, check the budget, etc.

And as your experience increases, some decisions require no more than a few minutes.

And, there are many decisions you don’t need to make. Ask a few right questions and empower someone else to decide.

Again, if someone else needs to make the decision, get the decision moved to that person today.

4) Have the tough conversation

Hopefully, tough conversations are not required as a daily part of your leadership. If that’s the case, something more significant than one conversation needs your attention.

Don’t put it off, have the discussion today.

In my experience, most leaders know what to do, they just don’t want to do it. They know what to say, but fear of the conversation and what “might” happen shuts the process down.

It rarely goes as bad as you think, and even if it is rough or doesn’t go as well as you hoped, you will move forward because you had the conversation.

Here’s my top coaching tip for you. When you have the tough conversation, don’t waste the moment. It’s already awkward, so don’t go three-quarters of the way. Go all the way. Get it all said. Don’t beat around the bush. That makes it worse, and you must do it again!

5) Take a moment to pray.

I’ve saved the best for last. In dozens of personal conversations, leaders have opened up to me about their prayer life and overall prayer practices.

Even among the most positive stories where the leader has a robust and consistent prayer life, once they hit the “office” and are running for the day, the opportunity to stop and pray often gets lost.

There simply is no greater power to help you get unstuck in the moment than prayer.

Not every prayer is about a big huge deal. But if it’s about God’s purpose in your church, it’s not too small! As long as it comes from your heart, the Holy Spirit takes it from there. He adds the power not you.

Devise a reminder for yourself. Maybe wear a wristband. Or you can set your phone to chime every couple hours or so, to represent a reminder question… “What’s the prayer need right now?”

You can come up with a technique that works for you, but don’t miss out on this great leadership practice.

How to Perform a Wedding

By
Brandon Hilgemann
-
communicating with the unchurched

“Will you perform our wedding?”

Few questions bring a greater sense of honor and anxiety wrapped into one.

As a pastor for 10 years, I’ve performed my share of weddings, and I still get a bit nervous. So if you’ve never done it before, it’s incredibly intimidating.

So how do you perform a wedding?

Here’s a rundown of everything I’ve learned.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

First, make sure that you are legally able to perform the wedding. If not, the marriage might be valid in God’s eyes, but it won’t be according to the government.

Requirements vary from state to state, so check with your local court for specific requirements.

Typically you must be either licensed or ordained to perform a wedding, but some states have additional requirements.

Second, the wedding will not be legal unless the bride and groom get a marriage license from their local court. After the wedding, the bride, groom, wedding officiant (that’s you) and two witnesses (typically the maid of honor and the best man) sign the license.

Finally, the signed license is returned to the court where it the marriage officially becomes legally binding.

MEETING WITH THE BRIDE AND GROOM

Before agreeing to perform the wedding, schedule an introductory meeting with the bride and groom.

Here are some things you should cover in your first meeting.

1. ASK ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP

Begin with some basic questions about their relationship to get to know them better.

How did you meet? What do you like doing together?

How did you propose? What are you doing for your honeymoon?

What do you value most in your relationship? What do you appreciate the most about him/her?

2. LOCK IN THE DATE

What will be the date, time, and location of the wedding?

When will the rehearsal be?

Check your calendar to make sure it all works with your schedule write it down somewhere so you won’t forget.

3. LAY OUT THE ORDER OF CEREMONY

It’s helpful to have a Wedding Planning Sheet for yourself and a copy to hand out to the couple, so they get a clear understanding of their options.

You can get my Wedding Planning Sheet here if you want.

Simply walk them through each element and have them select what they want or don’t want. See an example with more details in the next section.

4. TALK ABOUT THE RECEPTION

If I have a great relationship with the couple, I’ll try to stay for the reception.

However, if you know that you have a busy weekend, politely let the couple know that you won’t be able to stay for the reception or that you’ll only be there for a little while.

Set this expectation up front, so they don’t expect you to stay if you can’t.

Plus, you don’t want them to assume you are staying and pay for your meal. You’ll save them money by letting them know you cannot attend.

Often, I’ll just explain that I do a lot of weddings and the receptions run for hours that take me away from my family and I simply cannot stay for all of them, or that I have other commitments early the next day.

4. TALK ABOUT THE MARRIAGE LICENSE

It’s the bride and groom’s responsibility to get a marriage license from the state. Make sure they know that they need to get one as soon as possible and have it ready by the day of the wedding.

After the wedding, before they do anything else, you must meet with them to sign the license along with two witnesses.

Some pastors will take the license and turn it in for the couple, but that is way more responsibility than I want.

I usually suggest that they assign this responsibility to someone they trust or do it themselves.

5. SCHEDULE PREMARITAL COUNSELING

Will you do premarital counseling sessions with the couple?

If so, agree in your first meeting how many sessions you will you meet for, and when you will you meet.

Schedule it all upfront.

6. AGREE ON PAYMENT

If you charge for officiating a wedding, which I think you should since you are working and taking time away from your family, you need to agree on the payment amount and when the payment is due.

For example, if you decide to charge $100 to perform their wedding, make sure they know that you will need the $100 a week before the wedding.

Decide what you think is best. It’s not unusual to charge between $100-300 for a wedding.

If you struggle with taking money to perform a wedding, think about the number of hours it requires of you.

First, you have the meeting with the couple which may run for an hour. Then, if you do premarital counseling, you may meet three or four times for another hour each time. Next, you’ll spend time preparing and practicing the ceremony. And if there’s a rehearsal ceremony, you’ll spend an hour or two there. Plus, you’ll spend at least two hours at the wedding.

So in total, you could easily spend 10 or more hours on one wedding.

You deserve to be compensated for your time just as much or more than the photographer, wedding coordinator, caterer, DJ, and all the other professionals that charge for their services in exchange for the value they provide.

7. PRAY WITH THEM

It’s easy to get caught up in the practical side of scheduling and planning the wedding and neglect the spiritual side.

Don’t forget to bring God into every step of the process.

How to Avoid Sleepwalking Through Ministry

By
David Santistevan
-
communicating with the unchurched

Ever feel like you’re just dialing it in? That you’re just going through the motions of your ministry like a checklist you can’t wait to finish? Here’s how to avoid sleepwalking through ministry.

Sometimes it’s not even burnout, you know? You’re just tired. You’ve been doing the same thing over and over again for years. While you want to “come back to the heart of worship,” sometimes you just want to wrap it up and watch football. You want to disconnect. You can’t wait for the weekend except for the fact that the weekend is game time and it has become work for you.

But we all know we can’t live in this realm. Worship is too important to dial it in. The Kingdom of God is too important for us to be sleepwalk through Sunday. We need to be on the edge of our seat. We need to gaze in wide eyed wonder. The Kingdom of God doesn’t slow down.

Should we?

I’ve seen this in action as a parent. I have the capacity as the father of my kids to create a healthy environment for my kids to grow, or an unhealthy one. I have the ability to crush the dreams of my kids, throw a wet blanket on their enthusiasm because of my personal annoyance, and foster a small imagination within them focused solely on not screwing up. Or, I can control my emotions, see beyond the rowdy behavior, and foster an atmosphere of learning, love, the Holy Spirit and possibility.

As a worship leader, I have the capacity to create a healthy environment for my church or an unhealthy one. In the same way, we can’t let ourselves get in the way of that healthy environment. So let’s focus on the positives.

A Healthy Worshiping Environment

What is a healthy environment for your worshiping church?

– Songs of objective declaration about the character of God.

– A sound that reflects the culture and the community of people that are gathered.

– A ministry that is submitted to the vision of the Lead Pastor.

– A team culture that is more concerned about pastoring people than being rockstars.

– An environment where the Word of God is preached, sung and believed.

– A place where people glory in the cross and not their own holiness.

– A culture of respect where people value each other’s differences and preferences as the people of God.

But how?

Be immersed in the story—the story of what God is doing. Don’t just live off the day you were “converted.” Yesterday’s encounter isn’t enough for tomorrow’s challenge. There’s a new grace and a new mercy for today, but you need to be awake to see it and receive it. Be intentional about obeying God, seeing His power at work and having a story to tell about it.

Sunday worship will always feel strange if you have a disconnected heart from the Kingdom of God. Leading the Bride of Christ in worship will feel foreign if you’re not fostering a fierce passion for the Bridegroom. If the King isn’t your passion, you’ll tend to abuse the affections of the Bride for your own gain.

Maintain a closeness with Jesus and approach each new day as an opportunity to see Him work. Don’t just “make it happen.” Pray it through. Go to war in prayer for the hardness of your heart to be softened—the distance of your heart to be made closer to the heart of God.

So take risks. Step out into the story of God. Let your heart be moved again. Many of us get to a place where our hearts are no longer moved by anything. It’s because we’ve become critics of everything.

We’ve slowly moved away from experiencing beauty to critiquing beauty. We’ve moved away from being the people of God to criticizing the people of God.

So if you’re for creating a healthy environment of worship in your church, comment below. What is your current challenge? Let’s talk about it.

 

3 Lessons From Jesus on Recruiting Volunteers

By
Greg Stier
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communicating with the unchurched

In youth ministry (or most any ministry for that matter), recruiting volunteers is key. In a low-funded, big-vision ministry world, getting the best volunteers to join you on your quest is absolutely non-negotiable.

In a very real sense, Jesus had to recruit volunteers to join him on his mission to “make disciples of all nations.” To recruit the best ministry volunteers Jesus did three simple things…so can we!

1. Start with prayer.

“It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose 12 of them, whom He also named as apostles.”  Luke 6:12,13

Before anything else, Jesus prayed. He prayed for wisdom. He prayed for favor. He prayed that God would show him the characteristics he would need in his volunteers. And then he prayed for divine insight to see those characteristics clearly in the ones whom he should choose. I’m sure Jesus even prayed that God would prepare the hearts of those he would ask to say “yes.”

The result was the choosing of the 12 disciples. And only one was a “bad” choice…humanly speaking. Divinely speaking, that bad choice was part of God’s plan to accelerate Jesus toward the cross, the resurrection and the salvation of humanity.

In the same way, our volunteer recruitment process must be drenched in prayer from top to bottom. If Jesus took a prayer retreat before the recruitment process then maybe we should too.

2. Make a profile!

“A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, ‘If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.”  Luke 14:25-33

The ministry profile of what it would take to enter into a disciple/rabbi relationship with him was the result of relentless prayer. To get on “Team Jesus” was free (as Jesus makes clear over and over again in verses like John 3:16). But to be a starter on Team Jesus would cost you everything. I’m sure many in the crowd turned back after hearing the list that Jesus had given them of what it would take to be on his starting team.

Have you written a ministry profile of what you are looking for in your volunteers? Are the expectations clear? I encourage you to write a straightforward job description with character expectations and ministry expectations that everyone can understand and, with help of the Holy Spirit, achieve. Make the expectations clear and the mission compelling. Give the volunteers a chance to “count the cost” before they say “yes.”

3. Persuade them to say “YES!”

“Jesus called out to them, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’ And they left their nets at once and followed him.” Matthew 4:19,20

Jesus “persuaded” Peter and Andrew to say “yes” by giving them a vision, not to fish for fish, but to fish for people. He gave them an eternal motivation that far surpassed fish and chips. He gave them a vision to reach the world with the message of hope!

It surprises a lot of people that this calling of Peter and his brother Andrew was not the first time they had encountered Jesus. By this time they had been with and around Jesus for about 12-18 months. The chronology of Jesus’ ministry sometimes throws people off, but suffice to say Jesus didn’t just walk up to Peter and Andrew out of the blue and say, “Come follow me!”

No, he had gotten to know them and they had gotten to know him. They had seen several miracles and heard many teachings by the time he asked them to follow him. In a very real sense this was a persuasion process. After months of being around Jesus they knew he was the real deal and he knew they were sincere and serious…serious enough to make great disciples and eventual world-changers.

In the same way, as we begin to pray for wisdom and build a ministry profile as to what the best volunteers look like in our particular ministry context, we can identify and get to know those we are praying about recruiting. And they can get to know us. At the right time we can have a conversation and gently persuade them to say “yes” to joining the volunteer team.

It’s so important to get this right. Doing the youth ministry volunteer “altar call” on Sunday morning can get you all the wrong kind of volunteers. Instead pray for God’s wisdom and write a ministry profile of the characteristics of the ideal candidates (which should include a combination of spiritual hunger, true humility as well as a heart for teenagers and THE Cause of Christ.) Then set out to gently persuade these candidates to say “YES!” to being a volunteer in your youth ministry.

Nobody in history did a better job at recruiting the best volunteers than Jesus. Let’s learn from him!

For more information on how to build a Jesus-centered, Gospel Advancing, disciple-multiplying ministry, click here.  

Back-to-School Blessing for Volunteers, Parents and Kids

By
Christina Embree
-
communicating with the unchurched

In many places around the country, schools are gearing up to re-start sometime in the next month. For churches, that often means a re-boot as well as they move from summer mode into fall programming and the start of a new academic year. With that can come a whole range of “new” things! Kids promote to the next class, new volunteers come on to serve or they begin serving in a new capacity, and parents begin to navigate new experiences with new teachers, new schools and new grade levels for their kids.

A few years ago, the church I worked at was able to hold a time of commissioning and blessing over these groups as the new school year kicked off and we began to embrace all of these “new” things. The entire time of blessing takes about five minutes and can be a way for your whole church to come together and let the kids, parents and volunteers know that they are being held up and prayed for and sent out as God’s lights of love as the academic year begins.

Feel free to adapt this script to your own church’s service and needs, and blessings to all as we encounter all the “new” things!

An All-Church Blessing for Parents, Children and Volunteers

Purpose – To recognize kids who are promoting to new classes/small groups, to pray over kids, parents and volunteers at the start of a new academic year

Children’s Pastor/Family Minister – We are excited to be able to celebrate with you the growth of our kids and families this year and recognize them as they promote to new classes and small groups within this ministry and some to youth group. But before we bring up the kids, can I ask all of our ministry volunteers to please stand and make their way to the center aisle?

(as volunteers are moving)

It is a blessing to serve with this group of people. The love they show our kids and the grace with which they serve is a testimony of the love of Christ in their lives and to the children. So, I’d like to not only say thank you, but briefly pray for you as you serve this upcoming year! Church, will you join me?

(PRAYER – Lord be with and bless these who serve. In their service, give them strength and by your Spirit give them grace. May the love they give be returned to them in greater numbers and may your joy fill their hearts.)

Volunteers if you will please line each side of the center aisle and get your high five hands ready, we will bring in our kids!!

(If you have some fun music, you could use this here. This is based on our structure with small groups. It can be adapted to fit whatever age groups, classes or sections a church has for their programs. It can also be done as one large group which will reduce the amount of time needed for this commissioning and blessing.)

Joining us for the very first time as they are just starting school, we give you our preschoolers!

(children will “run” through the volunteers to the front)

Moving up into the elementary room, we are excited to recognize our new Kindergarten/First Grade small group!

(children will “run” through the volunteers to the front)

Not too far ahead of them, we want to recognize our “middle kids” our 2nd/3rd grade small group!

(children will “run” through the volunteers to the front)

And finally, our oldest group, and probably the most excited, our 4th/5th grade small group!

(children will “run” through the volunteers to the front)

Last, we’d like to recognize our 6th graders who will be moving up to join the youth group this year!

(children will “run” through the volunteers to the front)

AT THIS POINT, ALL THE KIDS WILL BE UP FRONT AND THE VOLUNTEERS WILL RETURN TO THEIR SEATS

Pastor or Worship Leader: Church, we are so blessed to have this group of children to welcome into worship and help their parents disciple in the faith. At baptism (or dedication, depending on the church), we commit to helping our kids grow in Christ and today we would like to re-affirm that commitment to them in their presence so that they can hear and know that we are here for them.

(At this time, we read our church’s Congregational Charge read at baptism. More than likely, each church has a similar reading for baptism or dedication. This is a great time to remind the congregation of the commitment they have made to walk with these families and children and a wonderful chance for the children to actually hear the words being said since they are too young to comprehend it the first time is said.)

Pastor – Lord, we thank you for the gift of these children and youth. May we be faithful to serve them and may they walk in your love. Be with this as they go into this new school year and give them the grace they need to learn and grow.

Children’s Pastor/Family Minister– If you are a parent/caregiver of one of the children here, will you please stand where you are? Kids, these people love you more than you could possibly know and they want you to grow in faith and in love. Will you help me to pray for them like we did for you?

DISMISS KIDS TO PARENTS

Children’s Pastor/Family Minister (as kids are going) – Parents we know that the work you do is difficult and while the days are long, the years are short. Please hear this blessing as a prayer for you as you serve God as the faith formers in your home.

“May you love the Lord with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength. May His commandments always be upon your hearts, so that you can impress them on your children. May God give you grace to talk about these things continually, when you’re at home, or on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. When your strength fails, may you walk in His. When you are weary, may His arms carry you. And when the day is done, may you hear His voice saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

This article was originally shared here.

What Really Happened in the Garden of Gethsemane

By
J.D. Greear
-
communicating with the unchurched

What Jesus saw in Garden of Gethsemane caused him such strain that he began to literally sweat great drops of blood. Here is Jesus—the eternal Word of God, who spoke the worlds into existence and brought the dead back to life—so horrified at something he sees that his capillaries burst, nearly causing his death.

What had he seen that troubled him so? The real question is what he had not seen. You see, in Matthew 26:39, when he called out to God his Father, as he had numerous times throughout his life, he gets no response. He refers to God as Abba, a term of closest intimacy.

But, for the first time in all of eternity, the Father was silent.

When you look at the scene of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane the night he was betrayed, you have to acknowledge that Jesus does not appear to be going to his death with the courage that we might have expected. In fact, he appears weak—almost scared.

A lot of the world’s other great martyrs, by contrast, died with their fist in the face of the evil empire, saying, “I’m not afraid of death. Bring it on; I’ll never back down!” Think of William Wallace in Braveheart, defiant to the end, crying out “Freedom!” even as he was being killed.

Yet here, we see Jesus approach death with a decidedly different spirit. He’s trembling, stammering, going back and forth frenetically between God and his disciples, asking God if there is another way. Matthew even says at one point that Jesus falls facedown; he’s too weak even to stand up (Matthew 26:39). Martin Luther said, “Never do we see a man fear death like this man!”

And what is really strange about this is that everywhere else in the Gospels, Jesus is the one who shows unflinching courage in the face of danger. Right before this, for example, Jesus’ disciples are trying to dissuade him from going to Jerusalem because it was so dangerous for him there, but Jesus told them it was his destiny and he had to go. Right after this, he’s going to stare down Pilate with stone cold resolve.

So, what happened at this moment?

Matthew 26:37 gives us a clue: It says that as Jesus prayed, “He began to be sorrowful and troubled” (CSB). “Began” means that he saw something while he was praying, something that he hadn’t experienced until that point. And it astonished him. The word translated “sorrowful” is a very strong Greek word that can mean “horrified,” especially when you couple it with “troubled.” One scholar says it indicates the kind of feeling you’d have, for example, if you came home one evening and found your family murdered.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus saw something so horrifying he literally almost died under the strain (Matthew 26:38).

In fact, Luke says that what Jesus saw caused him such strain that he began to literally sweat great drops of blood. Here is Jesus—the eternal Word of God, who spoke the worlds into existence, who walked on top of angry waves, calmed the fiercest storms, cast out demons, healed diseases and brought the dead back to life—so horrified at something he sees that his capillaries burst, nearly causing his death.

What had he seen that troubled him so? The real question is what he had not seen. You see, in Matthew 26:39, when he called out to God his Father, as he had numerous times throughout his life, he gets no response. He refers to God as Abba, a term of closest intimacy.

But, for the first time in all of eternity, the Father was silent.

And so, he stumbles back to his disciples, looking, it seems, for some kind of comfort. But the disciples aren’t there to help him because they are asleep. So he goes back again to the Father, saying the exact same thing: “Father, if there is any other way, save me from this.”

Again, only silence.

William Lane, a New Testament scholar, says that here, in Gethsemane, God had already begun to turn his face away. The judgment for our sin had already begun. Before the first nail was driven into his body, Jesus’ soul was being abandoned by God.

My 12 Go-To Apps For Worship Leaders

By
Mike O’Brien
-
communicating with the unchurched

Increasingly, I find myself pulling my phone out before, during and after worship gatherings to use apps for worship leaders. Here are 12 helpful apps that I am using consistently in worship ministry.

1. ESV Bible

As worship leaders, we need to keep the word of God close to us. The ESV is the version of the Bible my church uses, so I keep this app handy. This particular app is free, well designed and functional. Some traditions might discourage reading from a phone on the stage, but I have found that it’s nice to have an illuminated screen and reading from a device models a great use of technology. Additionally, it models what real life might look like.

2. Strong’s Concordance

Every word in the Bible has a foundation outside of English in either Greek or Hebrew. The Strong’s Concordance is one standard for referencing the meaning behind each word. You can click on highlighted text for the original Hebrew or Greek. I find it helpful to reference the original language in both worship songwriting and scripture used in worship services.

3. Daily Office Lectionary 

Many Anglican and Episcopal traditions use the book of common prayer to guide their daily devotions. If you are leading worship on a day outside of Sunday, you can open this app to find scriptures that millions of Christians around the world are already reading that day. Many times these scriptures align with themes already recognized in the current Christian calendar (Advent, Lent etc..).

For example, if I am leading worship in a small group I might employ the assigned scriptures this way:

4. Sunday Lectionary 

The Sunday Lectionary app is the service order taken from the book of common prayer. The previous app, Daily Office is for daily devotion, whereas the Sunday Lectionary is for gathered worship.
When planning weekend services, I will often add the Psalm or Gospel readings from the Lectionary.

5. FranPratt.com: Congregational Prayers and Responsive Readings (LINK) 

My good friend Fran Pratt keeps an ongoing blog with prayers for corporate gatherings. Many of these litanies (congregational prayers) are in response to modern-day events and can be incredibly helpful in giving the church voice for current events. You can copy and paste these prayers into presentation software so the congregation can respond to the text in bold.

NOTE: This is technically not an app, but a shortcut to a website. On the iPhone, you can save a website to the desktop by going to the website and clicking the icon that looks like this: 

6. Wunderlist

Wunderlist is a popular “to-do list” app that I use to organize sermon notes, song lyric ideas, and make quick reminders. I have folders called “worship song ideas”, “lyric ideas”, “2017 goals” etc… Sometimes I just need to make a quick note after talking with a volunteer; this app is super user-friendly and customizable.

7. CCLI Top 100 (LINK) 

No longer as relevant as it was 10 years ago, the CCLI top 100 list of most “popular” worship songs as reported by churches MIGHT give you an idea for a song in a pinch. Keep this list handy for reference.

8. Worshipteam.com

My favorite administrative tool in my role as a worship leader is worshipteam.com. It is geared for musicians exclusively and works wonderfully for planning sets and finding songs.

9. Planning Center Online

Many houses of worship use Planning Center Online to oversee their volunteer systems. Although I prefer worshipteam.com to planning center for worship, I keep this app handy when I am a guest in other churches that use this popular system.

10. Boss Tuner

The Boss is my favorite tuning app because it looks just like the pedal tuner I have been using for years. It is very basic. Many times you might be handing this app to a newbie violin or mandolin player that does not have their own tuner. It’s quick and easy.

11. iMaschine 2

This is a highly customizable beat-making app that I use primarily for songwriting. It’s nice to have a beat looping as you craft lyrics and strum chords. You can also use this app to create beats for your drummer to utilize during rehearsal. If a drummer struggles to play with a click, they might do better playing with a more developed beat.

12. US Department of Transportation Musical Instrument Guidelines  (LINK)

If like me, you travel via airplane, on occasion I have found it helpful to have the new law regarding instruments from the FAA handy. It used to be that if you wanted to carry on an instrument on a plane you were at the mercy of the flight attendants to allow you to store it in available space. Now there is a law that requires the staff to treat your instrument with the SAME standards as any other piece of luggage. In other words, if there is room for it in the overhead bins they cannot force you to gate check it. I have shown this web link to several airline employees to inform them of this rule.

This article was published in MinistryTech Magazine. Subscribe for free.

What’s the Right Structure for Our Church to Grow?

By
Ron Edmondson
-
communicating with the unchurched

What’s the right church growth structure? I’ve received that question by email, at conferences and from pastors I have met. They want to know how to grow their church and what structure is best for them to accomplish it.

I understand. It’s a great question—and one we should be asking.

Such as the the following email I received. I left out a few key points disguised for anonymity. I think it could be a question others are asking. Do you ever wonder the right structure for your church?

“Pastor Steve” (not his real name) wrote:

Hi Ron,

We are a small town church about 100. I have one full-time and one part-time staff besides me. I would like to reorganize for better efficiency. We have a deacon board leadership and would like to come up with different titles and job descriptions for the leadership. Right now we have assignments for building, music, finance, missions, education and chairman. Pretty standard, traditional titles.

I lead the board and, thankfully, they are open to change. I’ve pastored here for over a dozen years, so they trust me.

Any suggestions on structure, purpose and job descriptions?

Thanks,

Steve

My reply (slightly expanded from the original). If you are thinking you need a new structure to help you grow, I hope this helps shape some of your thoughts:

Steve,

I applaud you for thinking about how to be more efficient as a church. Frankly, that almost seems unusual for pastors, churches and church leadership.

I’d probably start, however, by asking bigger questions. Not magical questions. Just bigger.

Start with questions like these:

  • What are we trying to accomplish?
  • What is our vision?
  • Who has God uniquely called and equipped us as a church to be to our community and world?
  • What are my unique passions as a pastor?
  • What do we want to be known for above everything else as a church?
  • What are three or four activities or programs we would do if we had to quit everything else?

Once you (and I’d invite others) have spent sufficient time brainstorming and summarizing some those questions (feel free to add your own), then you can ask:

  • Considering our answers above, what are vital steps needed to accomplish each of these listed?
  • What’s an appropriate timeframe to expect to be doing these?
  • What are action steps, with timelines, for the future goals we have as a church?
  • How can I and/or the staff or leadership improve so we can lead these new initiatives?
  • What are things we are currently doing that simply aren’t needed anymore or don’t work?

And finally, ask yourself or as a group:

  • Who do we have on the team to accomplish this list?
  • Who is gifted best to serve where?
  • What can I do and what will others need to do?
  • What can other staff members do?
  • Are there key leaders in the church we’ve not tapped for leadership who could fill some of these roles?
  • Where are the biggest holes in people and leader resources we need to fill?

Keep in mind these are broad, general questions designed to get you and your team brainstorming. You’ll need to choose the questions best for you and adapt them accordingly.

After you’ve gone through the questions, which is not a quick process, you can then begin to organize the new structure around tasks and people. This type of process gives you a more realistic and effective structure. Keep in mind, the more you keep the list of things you are trying to do to a minimum, the more you will increase your effectiveness.

To summarize:

I always try to start with the biggest vision and work backward. We want to reach people. We want to disciple people. Etc. Always start with what you MUST complete and do well.

Then, I lead us to ask, how are we going to accomplish that? Finally, we need to know who the people on the team are to help us do that.

If you spend time working through that process you’ll be close to having your new structure. Also, you’ll need to review this process again over time as people and times change. Your broad answers of what you’re trying to answer will likely stay the same, but it is always good for review. Your more specific answers will change depending on who the people are in the church at the time and how things need to be done now.

Quick response, but hope that helps some.

This article originally appeared here.

The VeggieTales Theme Remix You Need to Drop Everything to Watch

By
Megan Briggs
-
communicating with the unchurched

If you grew up going to church, or babysitting Christian kids, or have church-going kids of your own (or all three!) you are likely a fan of VeggieTales. Friends, you are in a for a treat because another big VeggieTales fan has created a remix of the theme song that every animated-vegetable-loving child of God needs to hear.

The remix was done by Shama Mrema, who describes himself as an “african born, american raised, actor, writer, comedian, director, former kids bop star” (among other things).

The simple, yet brilliant music video features Shama and Andrew Simmons, who also produced the video. Shama wears a red Nike jacket (he takes the role of Bob the tomato), and Simmons wears a green jacket (Larry the cucumber). Instead of playing the tuba, though, Simmons has an electric keyboard type device hooked up to his MacBook to make the familiar base beat for the song.

After a couple stanzas of the theme, though, Shama breaks into full remix style and adds his own lyrics.

Throwback, Sunday school
best show, vegetables
every episode so cool

Learning ‘bout God and the Bible
Low key, grown man, high key
still a fan
I play the songs when I can
‘cause God’s still bigger than the boogeyman

Barbara Manatee and pizza angel come to me
I’m a motivated pirate who don’t do anything
(No seriously, I just stay home and lie around)

Stanza after stanza, Shama raps about the very best characters and episodes from VeggieTales. It’s so cleverly done, (dare I say it?!?!?) it might even be better than the original theme song.

Even VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer is a big fan of Shama’s remix.

Good job, Shama! Way to spread the VeggieTales love.

If you enjoyed this video, check out:

You Know You’re a Church Kid When ….

Hilarious Signs You Grew Up Christian from John Crist

The Most Important Element in Back to School Preparations

By
Megan Briggs
-
communicating with the unchurched

Back to school time is a short season of great excitement, anxiety, and potential. Even if you haven’t been in a classroom for a long time, you still feel it whenever fall piques over the summer horizon. As soon as the stores start to carry notebooks, crayons, trendy clothes, and new lunch boxes, the excitement is tangible.

Sending a child back to school can be even more exciting, although perhaps a little more stressful than being the student one’s self. There are supplies to procure, schedules to arrange, and meetings to attend. In all the hustle and bustle of the physical things that need to happen, there is another aspect of going back to school that is in danger of being overlooked, and this is the most important aspect.

The spiritual side of going back to school is something that doesn’t usually come to the forefront of our minds, but it is equally (if not more) important than any other kind of preparation we can do. Your children may be anxious about starting at a new school with new peers and new teachers. Given the tumultuous school year we collectively had last year in America, some children could even be concerned about their physical safety. Whether or not a child gets bullied could change from year to year as well. With cyberbullying on the rise, too, your kids might be more anxious than they let on about the upcoming school year.

So this year, as you pack those lunches and iron those first-day-of-school outfits, consider doing the following things to prepare your kids spiritually for going back to school.

Keep the Communication Lines Open

Not a lot of kids handle surprises well. Speak to your kids about what to expect when the school year starts. Keep speaking to them once it starts (this is very important!). Use the first couple weeks of school to establish a rhythm of asking about and talking through your child’s day at school. Besides the obligatory “How was your day?” there are several questions and practices that can help a youngster or teen to open up.

Concerning not feeling safe at school (whether that’s physical or emotional), this is a subject you should broach (especially with your older kids). According to Tulane University, while 1 in 3 students will be cyberbullied this year, only 15 percent will admit they are being bullied. What this means is parents will need to be diligent to know what is happening in their kids’ world. When all else fails (or before things fail!), a heartfelt note of encouragement slipped in a lunchbox or backpack can do a world of good.

Older Kids: The Back to School Conversations You Need to Have With Your Kids
In Their Own Words: Christian Teens on School Shootings
Pay Attention to What Your Teenager Is Trying to Communicate—Not What They’re Saying

Younger Kids: Free Conversation Printables: Back to School
Free Printable: Back to School Coloring Page
Talking With Children About School Shootings

The Most Important Thing: Back to School Prayer

This is probably going to sound completely obvious, but here it is: The best thing you can do is pray for your child who is heading back to school. But don’t just pray by yourself for your kiddo. Praying with your child for him or her as you tuck them in the night before the new school day or in the car on the way to school can be a great source of comfort to a nervous (or not nervous) kid. Pray for spiritual, physical, and emotional safety. Pray for growth and learning. Pray that God would use the school year to help your child know and love him more.

Don’t forget to pray for the teachers, too! They have a difficult, often thankless job. The vast majority of them teach because they love kids and they feel a calling to equip the next generation (very similar to a children’s minister or youth pastor). A lot of teachers are Christians, and a lot of them would be thrilled to know someone is praying for them.

Here are some back to school prayer resources to help you get started:

Back-to-School Prayers You Can Share With Parents
Free Printable: Back to School Prayer Calendar
This Mama’s Back to School Prayer Will Have You on Your Knees Before She Gets to “Amen”

Bonus: This is a great video to share with the parents in your midst:

The bottom line in sending your kids back to school: They need to feel they are supported spiritually, emotionally, physically. May God bless you and your children as you prepare to go back to school this year.

Here’s What Pastors Like Most About Their Job

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

Pastors wear a lot of hats. The smaller the church, the more tasks they likely have on their plate. But one thing all pastors do is preach and teach. And according to a new Barna survey, that’s the part of the job pastors like the most.

Nine hundred Protestant senior pastors in the U.S. were interviewed as part of the research conducted on behalf of Pepperdine University.

The Majority’s Favorite Part of Being a Pastor

When asked to pick just one aspect of their job they like the most, 66 percent said “preaching and teaching.” No other category came close.

Those other areas included:

  • Developing other leaders (10 percent)
  • Discipling believers (8 percent)
  • Evangelizing/sharing the gospel (6 percent)
  • Pastoral care (5 percent)
  • Organizing church events (2 percent)

Not surprisingly, most pastors also think they’re pretty good at the area they like the most. Barna researchers asked the pastors in which of their tasks would they rate themselves as excellent.  

  • Preaching and teaching (57 percent)
  • Connecting with neighborhood/city (29 percent)
  • Leading the organization (29 percent)
  • Counseling/pastoral care (29 percent)
  • Mentoring younger leaders (14 percent)
  • Evangelizing/sharing the gospel (10 percent)
  • Mobilizing (6 percent)

being a pastor

Ministry can also be frustrating and pastors identified several areas where they feel challenged in their calling. More than half indicated a lack of progress in those they’re shepherding.

  • Lack of commitment among lay people (35 percent)
  • Low spiritual maturity among churchgoers (27 percent)
  • Financial/administrative duties (19 percent)
  • Church politics (18 percent)
  • Implementing change (16 percent)
  • Working with the denomination (10 percent)
  • Relational difficulties (8 percent)

But the research indicates that the frustrations aren’t hindering their job satisfaction. Overall, 72 percent of senior pastors say they are “very satisfied” with being a pastor. Only 28 percent say they are “less satisfied.”  

The numbers indicate why most pastors stay in their vocation—less than 1 percent of pastors leave the ministry each year according to LifeWay research.

Satisfaction with their current church is more of a toss-up. More than half (53 percent) said they were “very satisfied” with their current church while 47 percent said they were “less satisfied” in their current ministry.

This study, along with research Barna conducted last October, indicate pastors are a pretty happy group.

The 2017 research found 91 percent of pastors are satisfied with their quality of life. Most feel supported (68 percent) and energized (60 percent) in their work.

How to Create Healthy Boundaries

By
Church Fuel
-
Healthy Boundaries
Adobe Stock #249182382

As a pastor, there are a lot of responsibilities and people vying for your attention and a place in your schedule. You love God, people and your job shepherding God’s people, but sometimes…boundaries get jumbled, crossed or even worse—they don’t exist to begin with. The truth is, your pastoral leadership is closely tied to your personal health. And your personal health idepends on healthy boundaries, directly impacted by how well you plan, prioritize, and stick to your schedule.

Healthy Boundaries

But when it comes to your schedule, do you have healthy boundaries? Does your calendar reflect a desire to be a leader who is spiritually, mentally and physically healthy?

Here are a few ways to create healthy boundaries in your schedule to make sure your time is spent wisely.

  1. Prioritize when you plan.

While your role as a pastor or church leader is an important part of your life, your ministry stretches far beyond the church walls.

That’s why it’s important to plan for the priorities you have both inside and outside of church. Your church meetings have a place in your schedule and your other priorities such as time for family, friends, and leisure should have a place as well. Schedule your family devotions and date nights into your calendar. Treat these time slots the same way you would treat any other meeting.

A few questions to ask yourself based on a few priorities you might have:

  • Family: Which times can I set aside each week for my spouse and children?
  • Physical Health: Where can I fit working out into my schedule?
  • Spiritual Health: How’s my prayer life? How’s my personal walk with God? Are other priorities taking His place?
  • Discipleship: When and how can I be available for those I lead spiritually?

Not only does prioritizing your responsibilities in your schedule help you establish boundaries and make time for what matters, but it also sets a good example for your staff and congregation to follow.

How Do I Trust Christ With Healing Those I’ve Wounded?

By
Mike Leake
-
communicating with the unchurched

I battle depression. I haven’t really kept that a secret. One of the things that I’ve learned over the years is that on occasion the reason for my season of despondency isn’t merely chemical or the result of a stressful season. My depression likes to blame others, circumstances or my own biology for the trial I’m going through. In truth, my depression is often due to stubbornness and unrepentance.

What I do, then, in order to combat this is take a bit of a sin-inventory. I will gather a sheet of paper and write out all the things I’m feeling crummy about. I write out ways in which I feel like a failure. At times it’s sin. Often it’s simply shortcomings. At the bottom of this paper (or papers) I try to rehearse the gospel. I remind myself of Psalm 103. I preach the gospel to myself. The depression doesn’t always immediately lift but it usually sets me on a more helpful trajectory.

But I had something interesting happen the other day. As I was doing this none of these gospel truths were really working over my heart as they usually do. It felt a bit cold and informal. It wasn’t hitting home. And I realized that what I was struggling with was not a cleansing in my fractured relationship with God. I knew that the blood of Jesus covered me and that my sin was not hindering my relationship with the Father.

I was grateful for the gospel applied to my own life but something was missing…

Then I realized what really had my heart all in knots was the impact my sin had upon others. I didn’t feel right simply walking away from this thing and declaring myself having clean hands. My sin was impacting others. What I wrote at the bottom of my paper was this: I don’t pay for these, but they still hurt people. How do I live with that?

And that was my question. That is what had me all torn up. How do I trust Christ with healing those I’ve wounded. I asked myself a few other heart-probing questions. Am I really grieved over this sin, or do I just want things “better” with no relational consequences for my sin? After exploring that a bit I dove into studying an answer to my question. Here is what I’ve come up with. Here are six ways we can trust Christ with healing those we’ve wounded:

1. Remember that I’m not their Savior. Part of the reason I was having a hard time trusting Christ with healing the wounds I created was that I wanted to be seen as a Savior not as a causer of wounds. But that’s simply not the biblical narrative. While I at times get to be the hands and feet of Jesus, I’m also a finite and sinful human being. I’m going to wound others. I’m not the Savior. I have to remember that Christ is their portion as much as he is mine. The same truths which I proclaim over suffering in my own life I must believe over them. What Christ can do with Romans 8 in my life he can do in theirs. I must trust him with bringing glory to Himself and good to others even if it’s my expense…exposed for the faulty savior I am.

2. Pray for their rescue from bitterness. Satan will look for an opportunity to use my sin against others to gain a foothold in their life. I prayed that bitterness will not creep into their hearts, not so much for my own benefit, but for the sake of the kingdom.

3. I cannot control responses and that isn’t my responsibility. I am not responsible for any sinful responses which might occur due to my own sin. That is not my guilt to bear. My duty is repentance and faithfulness. This is important because so often when we are sinned against we respond with sin of our own. This can create an awful spiral and create a bit of a fog of conflict.

4. Use this as an opportunity to truly grieve sin. How many people has God rescued from drug addictions and such because they finally opened their eyes to the impact they were having on their children? When we begin to feel the weight of our sin and we see how it impacts others, we are in a position to truly see God’s grace mortify this particular sin. I want to use this as an opportunity to loathe the sin that has caused this pain. But also use it as an opportunity to trust the Spirit for healing and increased sanctification in my life. May I never forget how hideous sin is, and how every sin aims to destroy me and all those around me. I loathe it.

5. God can restore the wasted years. When I was studying this I was reminded of a great article written by Colin Smith. It’s a tremendous reminder from the book of Joel that God is able to fully restore the years that our sin has wasted. He can fully heal not only us but also the wounds we’ve created in the life of others. He can replace beauty for ashes.

6. Someday we will be as Christ and Peter. I have always loved the story of how Jesus restores Peter. I love the scene of Peter hopping out of the boat and running through the water, losing all inhibition. That’s what reconciliation looks like. And there is a day coming when not only will our sin be wiped away from our account but its hellish impact on others will be healed. Let us hope such a day is drawing near.

We need Christ to be our Savior and we need him to be the Savior of those we’ve sinned against as well. He is mighty. He can handle all the weight of our sin. Oh, what a Savior!!

This article originally appeared here.

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